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Jerry "TheIceMan" Butler
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See a Copy of The Iceman'sItinerary
Combining Politics and Music:
Only the Butler Does It!
CHICAGO, IL - - Only Jerry Butler, serving his sixth four-year termas Cook County (Chicago) Commissioner, as well as Commissioner and past PresidentNortheast (Illinois) Planning Commission, combines a political career with weekendconcerts, performances, TV appearances and public speaking.
An award-winning performer, producer and composer, and one of thearchitects of Rhythm and Blues, Jerry "The Iceman" Butler, 67, has enjoyed a49-year career that began when he and Curtis Mayfield formed a rhythm and blues group, TheImpressions, in Chicago in 1958. The same year, the 18-year old Butler wrote a song titledFor Your Precious Love, which launched the careers of Butler and The Impressions.For Your Precious Love became a ". . . . landmark recording," accordingto Rolling Stone Magazine, which said "It is the first of the Soul Musicrecordings." The single, on Vee-Jay Records, became the first for The Impressions to"go Gold."
Butler, named "The Iceman" in 1959 by Philadelphia radiopersonality Georgie Woods for Butler's "cool as ice" delivery and debonair,effortless style (the name as become so synonymous with Butler that he had it registered)has had numerous million selling recordings ("Gold") during his career: ForYour Precious Love (with The Impressions, Vee-Jay, 1958); He Will Break YourHeart (Vee-Jay, 1960); Moon River (Vee-Jay, 1961); Never Gonna Give YouUp (Mercury, 1976); Hey Western Union Man (Vee-Jay, 1968); Brand New Me(Mercury, 1969); Only The Strong Survive (Mercury, 1969); Ain't UnderstandingMellow (Mercury, 1973).
In addition to his recording credits, Butler has hosted and appearedon a number of television shows, "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson"; "The Ed Sullivan Show"; "Soul Train"; "CBS Sunday Morning"; "The Today Show"; "Late Night with David Letterman"; and most recently, Butler has hosted both "Doo-Wop 50," and "Doo-Wop 51" which aired on PBS stations coast-to-coast and had thesingular distinction of raising more money for PBS programming than any other previouslyproduced PBS program, including the former highest fundraiser, "The FourTenors." He is currently hosting "The Soul Story" infomercials for Time/Life which is seen world wide.
In 2000, Butler published his autobiography, OnlyThe Strong Survive, which he wrote in collaboration with his brother-in-law EarlSmith. The Book is filled with anecdotes about his appearances on AmericanBandstand and at the famous Apollo Theater, and with vignettes about fellow musicians andpolitical figures, it also touches on serious issues, in particular the impact of race onhis life and career. This book, billed as a book in which "Soul SurvivorJerry Butler Tells His Story In Which Music, Politics Both Play a Role," has been sowell-received that in 2001 it went into its third printing, garnering such accolades as" . . . Only the Strong Survive makes one wish it came with asoundtrack (New York Times),: and ". . . complete with thumbnail sketches ofpersonalities including the colorful likes of Moms Mabley and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, thisis a valuable African American cultural resource (Booklist)."
Nominated for three Grammys for singing and composing, Butler is therecipient of numerous awards, including several from ASCAP (American Society of Composers,Authors and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) for his songwriting and publishing, two Billboard MagazineAwards as a writer and artist; a CLIO Award for writing and producing a commercial forJohnson Products Company and two Humanitarian Awards. Over the years, Butler has been an active member in the Rhythm & Blues Foundation; in 1991 Butler was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall ofFame as ". . . one of the architects of Rhythm & Blues;" 1n 1994, he was therecipient of a Rhythm & Blues Foundation "Pioneer Award"; 1995 he was a co-host of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation Award Ceremony, and is now an emeritus Chairman of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation.
It is on the fifth floor of downtown Chicago's Cook County Building,down the hall from Mayor Richard Daley, where "The Iceman" is most officious, donning adark suit and tie Mondays through Fridays in place of his "performance" dinnerjacket and bow-tie. Butler, in his official capacity as Cook County Commissioner (thereare 17 Commissioners for Cook County, which consists of 5.2 million people in Chicago andits suburbs, the second largest county in the United States), is responsible, along withthe other Commissioners, for making any laws, establishing any rules, and setting policy compliant with state and federal law. It is theduty of the Commissioner's office to construct and approve the Country's annual budgetwhich, for 2001 was in excess of $2.7 billion. Also serving as pastPresident of the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, he was responsible for the planningand consultation of the six counties of that area. Butler's smooth,mellifluous baritone is instantly recognizable as he arranges a committee meeting or dealswith situations related to County government. Says Butler, "I was first elected topublic office in 1985 and entered politics because of a strong interest in the CivilRights Movement." At the top of Commissioner Butler's agenda was a new Cook Countystate-of-the-art Hospital, which opened February 15, 2002.
At age 67 "The Iceman" is far from meltdown - along withhis political, TV, and new book careers, Butler performs most weekends of the year atsupper clubs, concerts and music festivals around the country - to rave reviews and swoons.He has been married for 48 years and is the father of 40-year old twin sons. One of thequestions most often asked of Butler is of his further political aspirations. Inanswer, "The Iceman," one of the top vote-getters in the country, just smiles -- cool as ice.
Updated 1/07
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